By Anna Burns-Francis
While much of the country's been battered by severe weather this week, there's one place that's guaranteed to be basking in sunshine.
Alexandra in central Otago has had the highest temperatures nearly every night for the last two weeks, much to the delight of holiday makers.
There's only one way to cool off in Alexandra - spend the day submerged. Some have had to resort to a diet of frozen foods to keep cool, and the local dairy can't keep up with demand.
"It's been really, really hot," says Vivian McFadzien. "We've been flat stick running out of ice cream, running out of drinks. I'm from Sydney, and by god it's hot."
Alexandra's a hothouse. It's seen two weeks of temperatures in the high 20s to low 30s. Every night bar one it's been the hottest place in the country.
Not everyone thinks it's a scorcher though.
Margaret Burns is quite comfortable sitting out in the midday sun, despite being just a month from her 100th birthday.
"The best summer? Oh, probably when I lived in Timaru at Caroline bay," she says. "They were very hot summers."
And central Otago mayor Tony Lepper says it's nothing unusual.
"No rain in December," he says. "My rain gauge, I don't think I've recorded anything in it, and that's fine, we're used to only getting an inch a month."
It's great news for those keen to enjoy some more fun in the sun. The forecast for tomorrow? More sunshine.
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